Fitness Myths Debunked

Posted by Peter Barron on October 19th, 2019

Do you regularly hit the gym; strictly follow a healthy diet, but yet to get the desired results? If so, then chances are, you have fallen prey to faux fitness advice.

Unfortunately, a lot of fitness advice out there is simply noise, which can actually do more harm than good.

To help you cut through the noise and actually reach some fruitful goal, we have debunked some of the most misleading workout myths and misconceptions related to health and fitness training.

1. More sweat equals more fat burn:

Post workout sweat makes you feel that you have burned some extra calories than usual. Well, such belief is unfounded. Sweat has nothing to do with weight loss. In fact, it is the body’s way of shedding the excess heat produced by working out. Fat remains oxidized inside the body, and does not vanish through sweat.

2. Running is bad for your knees:

Joints are meant to move and running is one of the most natural movements you can do as a human.

Regular running at any age potentially decreases the probability of getting osteoarthritis in your knees. Running also helps in thickening the cartilage of your knee, thus helping one to stay strong.

3. Weight training makes you bulky:

This is one of the most common fitness myths, especially among women. But the fact is that even lifting heavy dumbbells cannot make someone look abnormally muscular.

Women do not have the same amount of testosterone as men, so lifting weights does not increase muscle mass in women as much as it does to men.

Building huge muscles is mostly intentional. People who have a bulky body have done huge volumes of weight lifting and followed a strict weight gain diet for it. If you lift moderate weights and consume a healthy diet, it will result in a fit and lean body, not a big and bulky one.

4. The best time to work out is in the morning:

There is no ideal time for working out; or if there is, it is probably when your schedule allows you to have a consistent and efficient workout. Research suggests your body could adapt to a regular gym time, so if you hit the workout session sincerely every day at 4 p.m., eventually you might perform better at that time than at any other time of day.

5. Crunches are the key to a flat belly:

It is true that crunches strengthen muscles of the abdomen area, but you cannot expect to lose substantial weight through this form of exercise alone.

In order to reduce fat from any part of your body, you really need a well-rounded exercise program with a combination of aerobic endurance activities and strengthening exercises aimed at overall body weight loss, with a healthy diet as well.

6. Absence of soreness equals a bad workout:

This isn’t true at all. The tiredness of muscles or amount of sweat is not right indicators of a solid workout session; neither is soreness an indicator of a good one.

You may notice that doing a particular exercise has gradually stopped causing muscle soreness. This is because your body has adapted itself to that form of training, eventually leading to fewer tears, lesser muscle soreness and faster recovery.

7. Yoga doesn’t cause weight loss:

Regular yoga definitely helps in weight loss, but not in the "traditional" sense (direct fat burn). Regular yoga significantly boosts metabolism, leading you to quickly burn calories more than your intake.

8. After lifting, you need to fill up with protein:

It’s true that workout extracts energy, but that doesn’t mean that to replenish the lost energy one has to load up on protein. If your usual diet is healthy, you do not need to consume supplemental protein (unless you're aiming to build your body).

Since, fitness is one of the most discussed and debated topic nowadays, there are more and more deceptive notions about it too. Whether you are a fitness freak or beginners, all you need to do is just aim for a realistic fitness goal, have a mentor, and start your fitness journey.

For more details, visit Fitness Professionals Dubai now!

About the Author:-

This article is written by "Peter Barron". Peter Barron, a personal fitness trainer in Dubai helps people to lead a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and good nutrition. He has been working with clients and helping them to change their lifestyles and achieve their goals for the past 10 years.